Our Instructors
Kevin Auld – Band Director and Piping Instruction
Kevin began his piping career as a student at Shorecrest High School. He returned to teach the Shorecrest piping program from 2021 until 2020. Kevin played with the Washington Scottish Pipe Band for 14 years, serving as Pipe Sergeant as well as Pipe Major at the Grade 3 level.
He is a full-time bagpipe instructor and performer, teaching private lessons, Northwest Junior Pipe Band, piping workshops and summer schools. He performs at numerous events throughout the Puget Sound region.
You can contact Kevin at (206)499-8269, kevin@seattlepiper.com www.seattlepiper.com
Marcie MacRae (right) with student
Marcie MacRae - Lead Tenor/Bass Instructor
Drumming Director
Marcie started taking tenor drum lessons when she was 6 years old, having been raised in an active and influential Seattle area Scottish family. She has played both bass and tenor with grade 3 and grade 2 bands in the Pacific Northwest and has been involved with the Northwest Junior Pipe Band since it began in 1995. She also instructs many pipe bands and soloists.
You can contact Marcie at (206) 915-8431 or macraedrumming@gmail.com
Bryce Kreger – Snare Drum
Competition Band, Pipe Band School
An NWJPB alumnus, Bryce has risen to be one of the area’s top competitive side drummers. He has competed with the grade 1 Dowco Triumph Street pipe band, grade 2 Portland Metro Pipe Band and currently the grade 1 Simon Fraser University Pipe Band.
You can contact Bryce at bryce.kreger@hotmail.com
Ali North – Tenor and Bass Drum
Pipe Band School, Parade Band
Ali came through the ranks of NWJPB as a teenager, competing with the band during our first trip to the World Pipe Band Championships in 2008. After graduating from NWJPB she went on to play with Robert Malcolm Memorial Grade 3 Pipe Band; winning the World Pipe Band Championships with them in 2012 and promoting to Grade 2. She is currently playing bass drum with the Grade 1 Simon Fraser University Pipe Band; winning the Andante cup and sash (Best Overall Drumcorps) and Best Medley Drumcorps Shield with them in 2022.
You can contact Ali at (206) 280-7846 or north.allison.an@gmail.com
Tyler Coleman - right
Tyler Coleman - Bagpipes
Pipe Band School, Competition Band Assistant
Tyler started his piping career at Shorecrest High School and continued with Northwest Junior until graduating in 2014. He holds a BA in Marine Biology from Oregon State University and has volunteered organizing youth programs for the Seattle Aquarium. Tyler competes in solo competitions in grade 2 and is a member of the Cascadia Grade 4 Pipe Band.
Christian Vegors - Bass Drum
Pipe Band School and band assistant
Christian started drumming with NWJPB at the age of 9 and graduated at the age of 18 - spending a full 9 years as a member of the band. He competed at the World Pipe Band Championships with the band in 2015 and in 2018 Christian competed at the Winter Storm Novice Bronze Medal bass competition in Kansas City and placed 3rd. He currently plays with the grade 2 Cascadia Pipe Band.
Christian teaches various levels in our Pipe Band School bass program, as well as jumping in to teach beginning snare drum when needed.
Stuart MacDonald - Bagpipes
Pipe Band School, Competition Band Assistant
Stuart started piping at a young age with NWJPB and then Shorecrest High School. He comes from a deep-rooted Pacific NW piping family and his father Ian was one of the founding instructors of Northwest Junior. He is a certified school teacher and has taught at grade levels K-12. Stuart is currently a member of the Cascadia Grade 4 pipe band.
Lauren Gaul - Snare Drum
Parade Band, Grade 5 Snare Class
Lauren started snare drumming around nine years old and was lead drummer of NWJPB until she graduated in 2017. She competed in most BCPA events with her sibling, Kyle, as her piper - competing through Grade 1 solo drumming. After playing with RMM Grade 2 in 2019, she took some years off of drumming while studying Oceanography in Northern California. She is thrilled to have found her way back to the pipe band scene, and she now plays with Cascadia Pipe Band Grade 2.
Patrick Sutherland – Bagpipe Instructor
Patrick began learning the Great Highland Bagpipes as a member of the Shorecrest High School Pipe Band and the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, where he performed and competed across the Pacific Northwest. After more than a decade away from the instrument, he returned to playing in 2023 and is now part of the Keith Highlanders Pipe Band. In 2025, Patrick joined the instructional team at the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, where he enjoys helping young pipers build a strong musical foundation and share the same enthusiasm for piping that initially inspired him.
Colleen Salmi - Snare Drum Instructor
Pipe Band School
Picture and bio coming soon!